Super Saturday at Meydan

Three weeks to go before Dubai World Cup Day and today´s Super Saturday meeting not only features trials for the´major races then but is also an excellent card in its own right, with two Group One races (plus an Arab Group One), as well as a Group Two and three Group Threes. The Al Maktoum Challenge R3 at 17.10 CET is the main feature and several winners of this have gone on to take the World Cup.

Saeed bin Suroor has an outstanding record here and can dominate again with Prince Bishop (Kieren Fallon) and African Story (William Buick); his first jockey Silvestre de Sousa is suspended today. Prince Bishop came out on top in R2, but we expect African Story to turn the tables today. Side Glance (Andrew Balding/ Jamie Spencer) could be the main danger and he finished in front of African Story in last year´s World Cup. Ex-German LImario (Doug Watson/ Pat Dobbs) was the 2012 Winterfavorit and beat subsequent Group One winner Dubday at Hanover last August, but is only an outsider in this company.

The other Group One is the Jebel Hatta on turf at 17.45 and this looks to be Mike de Kock´s best chance today, as we expect his unbeaten Vercingetorix (Christophe Soumillon) to score, while stable companions Mushreq (Paul Hanagan) and Mars (Richard Hughes) could be the main dangers. Mars was 6th in the Derby last year, but we think he is probably better than that form indicates. L´Amour de la Vie (Pia Brandt/ Maxime Guyon) won the Balanchine here last time in good style and she is probably a bigger threat than the Godolphin runners.

Empoli (Peter Schiergen/ Adrie de Vries) carries the flag for Germany in the City of Gold at 16.35 and we expect him to run a big race. He is held by Meandre (Watson/ Dobbs) on Preis von Europa form, but has improved since then and will be better suited by this trip than the 10 furlongs over which he was runner-up here last time. Penglai Pavilion (Charlie Appleby/ Mickael Barzalona), 5th in the Arc, and Battle of Marengo (David Simcock/ Frankie Dettori), 4th in the Derby, are the main dangers here.

The 5 furlongs race at 14.45 features another clash between Shea Shea (Mike de Kock/ Soumillon) and Sole Power (Eddie Lynam/ Ryan Moore), who were 1-2 twice here last year. Shea Shea leads his rival 4-1, but Sole Power beat him at Royal Ascot and could do so again.

Possibly the best horse running here today is Variety Club (Joey Ramsden/ Anton Marcus) at 16.00. The South Afdrican cjhampion has won his last 9 races and was moist impressive last time here. Bets will be settled at British bookmakers industry prices and he is likely to be at quoted at odds-on, but he looks almost unbeatable.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Versac Py - Al Mamun Monlau - Raaziq
2. Race: Emirates Flyer - Najm Suhail - He`s No Saint
3. Race: Shea Shea - Catcall - Alsaaeqah
4. Race: Reynaldothewizard - Balmont Mast - Krypton Factor
5. Race: Variety Club - Shuruq - Zahee
6. Race: Penglai Pavilion - Songcraft - Meandre
7. Race: Prince Bishop - African Story - Zambucca
8. Race: Vercingetorix - Mushreq - Trade Storm